STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The mayor of an eastern Pennsylvania city where a gas explosion killed five people two years ago is urging other municipalities to be proactive about making sure pipelines and other infrastructure are safe.

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski says cities can’t rely on just utilities or what he called a “hodgepodge” of state and federal regulations when it comes to pipeline safety. He spoke Thursday to more than a dozen municipal officials in State College during the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Municipal League.

Pawlowski says pipeline monitoring is a growing issue because of aging infrastructure and the natural gas drilling boom in Pennsylvania.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and Treasurer Rob McCord met with dozens of city leaders later Thursday about the best ways for municipalities to interact with their offices.

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